The subtype classifications and characteristics of chronic depression

very now and then, we hear it said in the media that, "Depression is the mind catching cold." This saying must have come from the understanding that depression will improve quickly if it is detected early and treated with therapies such as antidepressants. Typical depression used to be called endogenous depression, but the term major depressive episode has been frequently used in recent diagnostic criteria. Some degree of remission can certainly be expected if a patient receives appropriate immediate treatment and maintenance therapy for his or her first episode of major depression, but it is believed that even with treatment and therapy, the condition would persist in 25% to 30% of the patients. On the other hand, there are quite a few cases that present with dysphoria, which differs from typical depression. There has been an increasing number of cases with unstable personalities that present with severe Original Contribution Kitasato Med J 2011;41:1-9